But the Deepwater Horizon oil spill is still making headlines. Are we any closer to recovery?

The year opened in a frenzy of renewed media attention on the Gulf Coast. A judge approved the BP criminal settlement from the spill and the headlines told the story: “BP to Pay Record Fines for Gulf Oil Spill”, “BP Oil Spill Settlement Payments Exceed $1B Mark”, “BP Criminal Fines Could be a Game Changer.”

As a result of this settlement, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation is entrusted with administering nearly $2.4 billion to fund restoration work in the Gulf. Of course, the resolution of civil fines and penalties under the Clean Water Act is still pending and that trial is currently set to start in Louisiana later this month.

Like everything in the Gulf, the mechanisms of restitution and recovery are, well, complicated, and likely to play out over years.

But even in the midst of the swirl, one point rises above everything else: the appetite and the vision for restoring the Gulf continue to gain clarity, momentum, and most importantly, broad-based support.

The milestones of progress and the importance of community-based restoration are clear.

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